Apparatus for dyeing and the like.



J. J. TRACY.

APPARATUS FOR DYEING AND THE LIKE APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7. 191e.

1,298,832. Pate ted Apr. 1,1919.

srnras PATENT QFFIQEB JAMES J. TRACY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR DYEING AN D THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed March 12, 1914, Serial No. 824,126. Divided and this application filed February 7, 1916. Serial No. 76,510.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES J. TRACY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Dyeing and the like, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present improvements relate as indicated to apparatus intended for use in dyeing operations and the like, the apparatus being intended for use in suitably handling a container or cage adapted to receive the materials to be dyed or otherwise treated in a vat or tub. In dyeing, washing or bleaching operations, and in analogous situations, it is desirable either that the material be moved about in the solution to secure a complete and thorough treatment of all parts of the material, or that the solution be forced through the material. The present machine has been designed primarily for operation along the first-named lines, namely, by moving the material about in the solution, although it also secures a certain movement of the solution in and about the container which materially assistsin securing the re sults desired. A further object of the invention is the provision of an efi'ective apparatus involving the use of a number of vats, each being adapted to receive a suitable container, together with means for simultaneously operating all or any desired part of such containers in the vats.

The features above referred to are described and claimed in a co-pending application of mine filed March 12, 1914, Serial No. 824,126, now issued into United States Patent No. 1,174,912, dated March 7, 1916,

the present application being directed more particularly to the construction of the container and being a division of such prior application. The present invention relates, therefore, to the construction of. the container and the forms here illustrated are particularly efficient in securing a thorough action of the solution u on all parts of the material, the containers eing provided with means which prevent the bunching of the material therein, and cause the material to move loosely about in the container during movement of the same. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, them-consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawingsand the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but-one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings Figure 1 is a view in perspective of one form of the container or ca qFi 2 is'a side elevation of the same 5'- Fig. 3'is a plan View indicating diagrammatically one arrangement of the partitions in such container; Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the locking clasp for the cover of the container; and Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are views similar to Fig. 3, showing various modified forms of containers.

It will be understood that the vats which are used will preferably be of the type dis closed in my Patent No. 1,174,912, the vats being equipped with the necessary mechanism for handling and operating the containers. V

In each of such vats there maybe placed a container in the, form of an open cage or basket 6 such as is best shown in Figs. 1 and 2." This container dis preferably provided with an open frame 7 covered with foraminous material, preferably in the form ofa coarse wire screen, the container being cylindrical in shape, and, when placed in the vat, having its outer walls spaced a few inches from the walls of the vat. The foraminous covering may be 9f either wood or metal, depending usually upon the operation to be carried on in the apparatus, and

may be a wirescreen or perforated metal plate, or in other cases may consist of spaced Wooden slats; The frame of the conthere is attached a U loop 10 which is adapted to be engaged by a hoist mounted upon a suitable trolley or trackway disposed above the alined vats. By means of this mechanism described in detail in my beforementioned Patent No. 1,174,912, it is possible to conveniently remove the containers from the vats and to transport the same from one vat to another.

Loosely mounted about the sides of the ,bail 9 are, U-sha-ped clips 13 which are adapted when pressed against the bail, to

extend past the sides of the upright, thus locking the .bail the position shown in Fig. 1. These clips are removably held in' i this piositionby means of bolts or set-screws 14. The container is provided with a horizontally disposed partition 15, of coarse wire or similar material, thus dividing the container into two compartments or chambers 16 and 17. In this way it is possible to. treat a greater amount of material than can be 'efficiently' treated in a single compartment container of equal volume since the material is now separated into two parts and does not bunch up and prevent 'athorough contact ofthe solution' with all parts of the material. The container is provided with covers 18 at .either end, such covers being formed in two portions and being pivoted to open and permit of the removal of the material therein.- It will be obvious that the material can be dropped out of either compartment byfmerely unfastening the U- s-hap'ed clips 1'3 and turning over the container in the bail. Any suitable fastening means may be provided for the covers 18,

one effective and simple form being illustrated in Fig. 4. In this device a U-shaped channel-4O is attached to the inside of one of the frame members of the container and is adapted to receive therein the edge strand 41 of the cover, when the latter is closed. Alined apertures are formed in the two sides of the channel and in the upright of the con' tainer frame and through these apertures is passed a clasp 42 which is preferably made of resilient wire and serves to maintain the cover in its closed position.-

Asset forth in detail in my Patent No. 1,174,912 beforementioned, there aredisposed about the upper or open end of each vatcircular tracks mounted concentrically with respect to the vats, such tracks being adapted to support rollers 20 carried in two laterally extending arms 21 attached to the bail 9 or upper portion of the framework 7 of each container. These arms can readily be attached to the sides of the bail by rivets 43 (see Fig. 2) or in some other equally simple manner. In Fig. 1 the container is shown without the arms 21. The construction and disposition of these arms 'willbe readily understood, audit. will be noticed that the end of each arm is provided with a slot 22 the disposition of'which is substantially radial with respect to the container and vat. When the container 6 is lowered into the vat by the hoist it is placed in such position that the rollers 20 on the arms 21 engage the track about the vat, the container thereupon being supported from such track and being freely rotatable within the vat but without the necessity of providinfg oscillated through a distance equal to the travel of the reciprocating members which are driven by suitable connecting rods attached to cranksdriven by a transversely disposed shaft which in turn may be driven by any suitable means.

This oscillatory movement which is given tothecontainers 6 causes the solution in the vats to move through and around the material held in the containers, and this action is increased by the provision in each container of a vertical solid partition 30 such as is shown in Fig. 2. During the oscillatory motion of the container this partition acts to stir up the solution, producing currents therein which cause the liquidto pass through all parts of the container and to thus reach and treat all of the .inateri'al held therein.

The precise construction and disposition of this transverse vertical partition is of relative unimportance, and it may be formed as shown in Fig. 3 where two short, partitions 31 extend radially inward from diametrically oppositepoints of thecontainer, while a central partition 32 is disposed at right angles to the two short partitions 31.

Similarly, the construction shown in Fig. 5 may be used, in which two vertical partitions 32 are used, one extending from the bottom of the container to the horizontal partition, and the other extending from the horizontal partition to the cover and being disposed at an angle, preferably a right angle, to the lower partition. An increased movement of the providing curved tangentially extending fins or vanes 35 about the circumference of the container. Such a construction is shown in Fig. 6, while in Fig. 7 :a modification of the same is illustrated, there being in this latter type a vertically disposed circular 7 liquid through the container may be had, by

to another vat or the material therein re' moved for drying. Any desired number of containers may be operating simultaneously, each being given the same oscillatory movement and each vat producing the desired dyeing or washing effect, upon the material therein, thus providing a uniform treatment of the material in each of the vats through a given length of time, although of course in dyeing cloth certain colors, a longer treatment is necessary in some cases, and at such times the containers may be oscillated in the vats during a longer period.

By means of the solid partitions disposed in the various ways in the containers a certain movement of the cloth with respect to the liquid is secured. Without the use of such vertical partitions the material in the solution would tend to move with the solution, and there would be little, if any, movement of one relative to the other. It is, of course, highlydesirab-le to provide a certain amount of movement of either the solution through the cloth or the cloth through the solution, and this is secured by means of these partitions. Upon movement in one direotion the partition forces the solution before it, a certain amount of this solution tending 'tormove toward the wall of the container. The material, on the other hand, is not moved as rapidly as the solution and tends, by reason of its own inertia, to move slower than the solution, thus causing a relative movement between the two. Similarly the fins or vanes attached to the container operate to drive into the center of the same, during movement in one direction, a certain amount of liquid which, upon reverse movement, flows out between the vanes thus causing an internal circulation in the container, which is of great value in producing an even effect of the treatment upon the material held therein.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the fol lowing claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. A container for use in vats, comprising a suitable cylindrical frame, foraminous material covering the sides of said frame, a foraminous partition separating said container into two chambers, said partition being disposed horizontally, an impervious vertical partition mounted in said frame, and hinged end covers for said frame, whereby either of two chambers may be opened.

2. A container for use in vats, comprising a cylindrical vertically disposed frame, foraminous covering material for said frame, a bail pivotally attached to opposite sides of said container at the longitudinal center of the same, said bail being provided with a suitable connection for engagement by a hoist, and means adapted to attach said bail to said frame parallel with the longitudinal axis of the same.

3. A container for use in vats, comprising a cylindrical vertically disposed frame, foraminous covering material for said frame, a bail pivotally attached to opposite sides of said container at the longitudinal center of the same, said bail being provided with a suitable connection for engagement by a hoist, and detachable means adapted horizontal partition separating said container into two chambers one at either end, a bail pivotally attached to opposite sides of said container at the longitudinal center of the same, said bail being provided with suitable connections for engagement by a hoist, and detachable means adapted toattach said bail to said frame parallel with the longitudinal axis of the same.

5. A container for use in vats, comprising a cylindrical frame, a foraminous partition disposed horizontally in said frame, and an impervious vertical partition disposed in said frame parallel to the axis of said frame. 9Signed by me, this 2nd day of February. 1 16.

JAMES J. TRACY.

Attested by- THOMAS H. FAY, H. B. FAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

